AMTA Oregon Newsletter — Fall 2026

AMTA Oregon board members at the 2026 AMTA National Convention in Denver.

In this issue

• Editor’s Note
• President’s Note
• Education Chair’s Note & Upcoming Events
• Government Relations Report
• Membership Report

Editor’s Note

Hello, AMTA Oregon,

I’m Forest Hart, your Communications Chair and editor for this issue. For those I haven’t met yet, I’m a massage therapist and the person behind Wild Hart Massage in Portland. Much of my work comes back to listening, staying curious, and making room for the person in front of me. I hope to bring that same care to how we communicate as a chapter.

Reading through the contributions for this newsletter, I kept coming back to how much we need each other. Our work can be deeply relational and still leave us spending much of the day without another therapist to talk to. Having someone to ask a question, share an idea, or laugh with matters.

In his President’s Note, Aaron Gustafson reflects on what changes when we meet face to face. Board Member and Membership Co-Chair Danika Tkacik shares a little of that connection from Denver, and Board Member and Membership Co-Chair Loren Bornstein introduces himself. You’ll also find updates from Government Relations Chair Don Schiff, an Education Chair’s Note from Jamin Rak about our October event in Florence, and dates to hold for next spring’s convention.

I’d like this newsletter to make it easier to stay connected to the people and work of our chapter. If there’s something happening in your community that you’d like us to know about, please reach out.

Thanks for reading. I’m glad to be here with you.

Forest Hart, LMT
Communications Chair & Newsletter Editor
AMTA Oregon Chapter

Taking it all in at the National Convention opening ceremony in Denver.

President’s Note

Another AMTA National Convention is in the books! What a full, engaging, and revitalizing time it was.

One reason I continue to volunteer for AMTA is connection. I’ve had my private practice for 26 years. For the first 15 years, I also worked in other areas of bodywork, from onsite chair massage contractor to lead educator, media producer, and marketing manager for a rehabilitative toe-spacer company. I love the diversity of places where our skills, minds, and hands can contribute meaningfully to the wellness of our society.

AMTA gives us the chance to connect face to face, heart to heart, and engage with one another with the openness and empathy we strive to offer our clients. That can feel like a stark contrast to what I sometimes see unfolding from behind our keyboards, on social media and in professional Facebook groups. Online, we can appear fractured, judgmental, and sometimes just plain mean to each other.

There are personalities online who rub me the wrong way. I see a name and think, “That jerk again…” Then I meet that person at a convention or education event, and my prejudice softens. The typed word simply cannot convey the full reality of how we communicate face to face. A quizzically raised eyebrow can shift a moment from “I know better” to “I’m curious about…” Suddenly, that colleague is no longer a jerk, but a peer and a human being.

I hope someday to see our profession truly unified, with space for all of us under a national umbrella of acceptance and understanding. What does that look like? I don’t know. But I know I have the best chance of figuring it out with everyone when I show up, put myself in the middle of it, and keep asking questions.

I’m extremely grateful that AMTA provides that opportunity, and I’m so happy to be part of this community with you. Thank you for being here.

Wishing you a wonderful fall, and I hope to see you in Florence in October,

Aaron Gustafson, LMT, CAMT II
President
AMTA Oregon Chapter

Time together over a meal at Culinary Dropout in Denver. Pictured left to right: Aaron Gustafson; Devery Broddie; Leah Bowder; Lowell Welch; Loren Bornstein; Danika Tkacik; Don Schiff; Jamin Rak; and Forest Hart.

Education Chair’s Note & Upcoming Events

Hello, AMTA Oregon,

Our next traveling education event brings us to the coast! Join us on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Driftwood Shores Resort in Florence for a day of learning with Ruth Werner and time to connect with fellow massage therapists.

Guest instructor Ruth Werner will present two courses, totaling eight hours of in-person continuing education, including four Ethics CEs:

• The Ethics of Communication — 4 CEs
• Research Recap: The Best in Research in Massage Therapy — 4 CEs

Lunch is included. After class, we’ll gather for networking and social time from 5:00–8:00 p.m., with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages provided. An onsite bar will also be available for individual purchases.

Early-bird registration is available through October 1: $99 for AMTA members and $119 for nonmembers. After that, registration is $129 for members and $149 for nonmembers. Discounted rooms are available at Driftwood Shores Resort; check the event page for lodging updates.

View the Florence event details and register →

We’re also looking ahead to next spring. Please save April 16–18, 2027, for our Annual State Convention at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. Program and registration information will be shared as details are confirmed.

I look forward to seeing you in Florence and continuing to learn together.

Jamin Rak
Education Chair
AMTA Oregon Chapter

Save the Date: 2027 Annual State Convention

April 16–18, 2027

Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
8235 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR 97220

Program and registration information will be added as details are confirmed.

Another view of our time together at National Convention in Denver.

Government Relations Report

Oregon’s enforcement placards

The Government Relations Committee continues to monitor the implementation of legislation passed last year.

Oregon law now authorizes the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists (OBMT) to post a placard outside a massage facility after determining that it violates ORS 687.021 and employs or contracts with unlicensed people to practice massage. The placard provides public notice of the violation. This authority is an additional enforcement measure alongside the other actions available under the law. Read ORS 687.250.

Gresham’s massage business licensing program

The City of Gresham reports that it has closed seven illicit massage businesses since implementing its massage business license code in October 2025. The city also reports that the City Council approved amendments on September 1, 2026, addressing the licensing and enforcement process. Read the City of Gresham’s update, distributed through PublicNow.

OBMT meetings and recordings

LMTs and members of the public can find board meeting notices, agendas, and information for attending public sessions on the Board’s meeting page.

Since July 2023, OBMT has published recorded meeting minutes in place of written minutes. Links to past recordings are available on the same page.

Don Schiff, LMT #23463
Government Relations Chair
AMTA Oregon Chapter
(503) 997-9869

Oregon members enjoy an evening of bowling and conversation at FlyteCo Tower in Denver.

Membership Report

Oregon, Together (Even in Denver)

One of my favorite parts of national convention had nothing to do with the sessions. A group of us Oregon members got together at FlyteCo Tower for an evening of bowling and pub grub—bad throws, good conversation, yummy bites.

A little time to talk, laugh, and catch up.

It’s a little funny that we have to travel out of state to make that happen. But that’s what it was: no agenda, no CE credits, just people who understand what it’s like to hold space for someone else’s pain all day, hanging out and talking shop. Comparing notes on tough cases, favorite techniques, running a practice. That kind of thing doesn’t happen on its own—you have to actually show up for it.

Which brings me to the other new thing in this issue: a map of our Oregon AMTA membership. Take a look. The roster shown here lists 666 members in Multnomah County, but scan across the map and you’ll find Lake and Wheeler counties with zero, Sherman with one, Baker with two, and Grant and Malheur with three each. In counties with only a handful of members, finding another AMTA colleague nearby may take some effort.

AMTA Oregon chapter roster members by county. Source: membership graphic supplied for this issue. Counts describe the roster represented in the graphic, rather than all licensed massage therapists in each county.

If you look at that map and spot a cluster near you, take it as your nudge to reach out. If members are few and far between where you live, we’d like to hear what would help you feel more connected.

The relationships we build with each other are part of what keeps this profession sustainable, not just the ones we build with clients. See you at the next chapter event—or maybe at the lanes.

Danika Tkacik
Board Member & Membership Co-Chair
AMTA Oregon Chapter

A closer look: membership by city

The city chart offers another view of the roster, with Portland at 748 members, followed by Bend at 143, Eugene at 139, Salem at 107, and Beaverton at 98.

Top 25 cities by chapter roster member count. Source: membership graphic supplied for this issue. City and county figures are separate views of membership and should not be added together.

Meet Loren Bornstein, Board Member & Membership Co-Chair

Hello! I’m glad to meet everyone. I’m Loren Bornstein, Board Member and Membership Co-Chair. I work with fellow Board Member and Membership Co-Chair Danika Tkacik to support our members.

That might mean visiting your neck of the woods to hear what’s happening in your area, helping bring your questions and concerns to the chapter, or pointing you toward the information you need. When you’re not sure where to turn, we’re here to help.

In my massage practice, I specialize in sports and medical massage. I split my time between some of Oregon’s professional teams and my own clients. I love trading knowledge and skills, and I look forward to getting to know more of you.

Loren Bornstein
Board Member & Membership Co-Chair
AMTA Oregon Chapter

Thanks for reading and being part of AMTA Oregon.

Questions, local news, or something you’d like to see in a future issue? Contact the chapter at Oregon@amtamassage.org.

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